Islamic Dictionary
Understand your Deen better. Simple English meanings of common Arabic and Islamic words used in daily life.
- Adhaanأذان
- The call to prayer, given before each of the five daily salaah.
- Adhkarأذكار
- Words of remembrance of Allah, such as the morning and evening adhkar. Singular: dhikr.
- Akhirahآخرة
- The Hereafter — life after death, including the Day of Judgement, Jannah and Jahannam.
- Alhamdulillahالحمد لله
- “All praise is for Allah.” Said in gratitude, and after sneezing.
- Allahu Akbarالله أكبر
- “Allah is the Greatest.” Said in salaah and the adhaan; called the takbeer.
- Ameenآمين
- “O Allah, accept.” Said at the end of a dua and after Surah al-Fatihah.
- Aqeedahعقيدة
- Islamic belief — what a Muslim believes about Allah, His messengers, the angels, the books, the Last Day and qadr.
- Asrعصر
- The afternoon salaah, the third of the five daily prayers.
- Assalamu alaikumالسلام عليكم
- “Peace be upon you.” The Muslim greeting. The reply is “Wa alaikumus salaam” — “and upon you be peace.”
- Astaghfirullahأستغفر الله
- “I seek Allah’s forgiveness.”
- Ayahآية
- A verse of the Quraan. Also means a sign. Plural: ayaat.
- Barakahبركة
- Blessing — goodness and increase that comes from Allah.
- Bismillahبسم الله
- “In the name of Allah.” Said before eating, starting a task, and reciting the Quraan.
- Deenدين
- Religion and way of life. Islam is the Deen of Allah.
- Dhikrذكر
- Remembrance of Allah, with the tongue and the heart — for example SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar.
- Dhuhrظهر
- The midday salaah, the second of the five daily prayers. On Fridays it is replaced by Jumuah for men.
- Duaدعاء
- Calling upon Allah — a personal prayer or supplication, in any language.
- Duroodدرود
- Sending salutations and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Also called salawat.
- Eidعيد
- Festival. Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadaan; Eid ul-Adha falls during the days of Hajj.
- Fajrفجر
- The dawn salaah, the first of the five daily prayers.
- Fardفرض
- Compulsory — an act Allah has made obligatory, like the five daily salaah. Also called farz.
- Fiqhفقه
- Islamic jurisprudence — the detailed rulings on how to practise the Deen.
- Ghuslغسل
- A full ritual bath, washing the whole body, required in certain situations before salaah.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved. Plural: ahadith.
- Hafizحافظ
- Someone who has memorised the whole Quraan. Hifz is the memorisation itself.
- Hajjحج
- The pilgrimage to Makkah in the month of Dhul Hijjah, compulsory once in a lifetime for those who are able.
- Halaalحلال
- Permitted in Islam.
- Haraamحرام
- Forbidden in Islam.
- Hijriهجري
- The Islamic lunar calendar, counted from the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) from Makkah to Madinah.
- Ibadahعبادة
- Worship — any act done to please Allah, from salaah to kindness to others.
- Iftaarإفطار
- The meal that breaks the fast at sunset.
- Imaanإيمان
- Faith — belief in the heart, declared by the tongue and shown in actions.
- Imamإمام
- The person who leads the salaah; also a leader or scholar of the community.
- In sha Allahإن شاء الله
- “If Allah wills.” Said about anything planned for the future.
- Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’unإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
- “To Allah we belong and to Him we return.” Said at a loss or hardship (Quraan 2:156).
- Ishaعشاء
- The night salaah, the fifth of the five daily prayers.
- I’tikaafاعتكاف
- Staying in the masjid for worship, especially in the last ten nights of Ramadaan.
- Jamaatجماعة
- The congregation — praying salaah together behind an imam. Also a group going out in the path of Allah.
- Jannahجنة
- Paradise — the eternal garden promised to the believers.
- Jazakallahu khairanجزاك الله خيرا
- “May Allah reward you with good.” Said to thank someone.
- Jumuahجمعة
- Friday, and the Friday congregational prayer with a khutbah.
- Kaabaكعبة
- The House of Allah in Makkah, which Muslims face in salaah.
- Khutbahخطبة
- The sermon given before Jumuah and after the Eid salaah.
- Laylatul Qadrليلة القدر
- The Night of Decree, better than a thousand months, in the last ten nights of Ramadaan.
- Maghribمغرب
- The sunset salaah, the fourth of the five daily prayers.
- Masha Allahما شاء الله
- “What Allah has willed.” Said when admiring something good.
- Masjidمسجد
- A mosque — literally a place of sujood (prostration).
- Qiblaقبلة
- The direction of the Kaaba in Makkah, faced during salaah.
- Quraanقرآن
- The final revelation of Allah, sent down to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the angel Jibreel.
- Rakaatركعة
- A unit of salaah, made up of standing, bowing and two prostrations.
- Ramadaanرمضان
- The ninth month of the Hijri calendar, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
- Sadaqahصدقة
- Voluntary charity, given at any time — even a smile is sadaqah.
- Salaahصلاة
- The prayer. Muslims perform five compulsory salaah every day.
- Sehriسحري
- The pre-dawn meal eaten before a fast. Also called suhoor.
- Shahadahشهادة
- The declaration of faith: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger.
- Shirkشرك
- Associating partners with Allah — the gravest sin.
- SubhanAllahسبحان الله
- “Glory be to Allah.” Said in dhikr and in wonder.
- Sujoodسجود
- Prostration in salaah, with the forehead on the ground.
- Sunnahسنة
- The way of the Prophet ﷺ — his teachings and practice. Also the recommended prayers he regularly performed.
- Surahسورة
- A chapter of the Quraan. There are 114 surahs.
- Taraweehتراويح
- The night prayer in Ramadaan after Isha, in which the Quraan is often recited in full over the month.
- Tasbihتسبيح
- Glorifying Allah; also the string of beads used to count dhikr.
- Tawakkulتوكل
- Trust in Allah, after doing what you can.
- Tawbahتوبة
- Repentance — sincerely turning back to Allah after a sin.
- Ummahأمة
- The worldwide Muslim community.
- Umrahعمرة
- The lesser pilgrimage to Makkah, which can be done at any time of year.
- Witrوتر
- The odd-numbered prayer performed after Isha, before Fajr.
- Wudhuوضوء
- Ablution — washing specific parts of the body before salaah.
- Zakaahزكاة
- The compulsory annual charity on wealth above the nisaab, one of the five pillars of Islam.